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At least 15 people, including women and children of a family, died after a three-wheeler vehicle fell into a canal reportedly due to overspeeding in Punjab province of Pakistan, authorities said Wednesday.The rickshaw was carrying 26 wedding guests when it fell into the canal Tuesday in Kot Addu, Muzaffargarh district of Punjab, some 350 km from Lahore.The Punjab Emergency Rescue 1122 said in a statement Wednesday that three rickshaws were carrying a wedding procession from one village to another when one of them lost control due to overspeeding and fell into the Muzaffargarh Canal.
“A rescue operation was launched after three people swam through the canal and alerted Rescue 1122. Subsequently, the local community, along with rescue officials, rescued eight people Tuesday and shifted them to a hospital,” it said.By Tuesday, 12 bodies were recovered from the canal, police said.Wednesday, three more bodies were recovered, taking the toll to 15,” it said, adding that the bodies were recovered from 5 to 20km away from the site of the incident.
The canal is said to be 12-15 feet deep and 100-120 feet wide, with a water flow of between 2,500 and 4,000 cusecs.Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has expressed sorrow and grief and conveyed her condolences to the bereaved families.